Offshore wind energy system with non-skid feet

Abstract

This invention entails a wind energy system for offshore use with a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to an ocean surface in the erected state and with a plurality of feet determined for making contact with the ocean bottom whose extensions in the longitudinal direction (L), especially the depth and/or relief of the ocean bottom, are adapted to a predetermined erection site.

1. An offshore wind energy park comprising a plurality of wind energy systems wherein at least two of the wind energy systems are adapted to be placed at different water depths from each other while each of the at least two wind energy systems maintains the same height above water of a rotor hub, wherein each of the at least two wind energy systems when erected in a body of water has a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and wherein each of the at least two wind energy systems comprises
 a rotor which comprises a rotor hub, wherein the rotor hub of each of the at least two wind energy systems is positioned at the same height above the surface of the body of water irrespective whether the at least two wind energy systems are positioned at the same or different depths in the body of water, 
 a standardized carrier structure having at least two legs, wherein each leg has a bottom, wherein the carrier structures of each of the at least wind energy systems are uniform in length relative to the other wind energy systems, 
 wherein at the bottom of each leg is positioned a foot portion for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point, 
 and wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for an interval distance between the bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point, which interval distance is determined by the depth and/or the relief of the floor of the body of water. 
 
   
   
     2. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one foot portion comprises a structural spacing component that codetermines a distance that the foot portion extends in the longitudinal direction (L) to compensate for an interval distance. 
   
   
     3. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 2 , wherein the structural spacing component is formed substantially by at least one hollow chamber that is suitable for containing filler material. 
   
   
     4. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one foot portion comprises a stop plate for limiting penetration depth of the foot portion into the floor of the body of water. 
   
   
     5. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 1 , wherein the standardized carrier structure further comprises a lattice tower with a plurality of legs that have bottom ends, wherein the lattice tower and legs are uniform in length in each of the at least two wind energy systems, and wherein on the bottom ends of each of the plurality of legs one foot portion is arranged. 
   
   
     6. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one foot portion comprises a suction device that interfaces with the floor of the body of water and with which the at least one foot portion can be drawn onto the floor of the body of water. 
   
   
     7. The offshore wind energy park according to  claim 6 , wherein suction device is a suction bell. 
   
   
     8. An offshore wind energy park comprising a plurality of wind energy systems wherein at least two of the wind energy systems are adapted to be placed at different water depths from each other while each while each of the at least two wind energy systems maintains the same height above water of a rotor hub, which when erected in a body of water each of the at least two wind energy systems has a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and wherein the at least two wind energy systems each comprise
 a rotor which comprises a rotor hub, wherein the rotor hub of each of the at least two wind energy systems is positioned at the same height above the surface of the body of water irrespective whether the at least two wind energy systems are positioned at the same or different depths in the body of water, 
 a standardized carrier structure having a tower and at least two legs that each have a bottom, wherein the carrier structures of each of the at least two wind energy systems are uniform in length relative to the other wind energy systems, and the tower of each of the at least two wind energy systems has the same standardized length relative to the other wind energy systems, 
 wherein at the bottom of each leg is positioned a foot portion for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point, 
 and wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for an interval distance between bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point, which interval distance is determined by the depth andlor the relief of the floor of the body of water. 
 
   
   
     9. A method for erecting an offshore wind energy system in a wind energy park that includes a plurality of wind energy systems, which wind energy system when erected in a body of water has a longitudinal direction (L) running substantially vertically to the surface of the body of water, and which wind energy system comprises
 a rotor which comprises a rotor hub, 
 a standardized carrier structure having at least two legs each having a bottom, wherein the carrier structure of the wind energy system is uniform in length relative to the carrier structure of at least one other wind energy system in the wind energy park, 
 a foot portion positioned at the bottom of each leg, adapted for making contact with the floor of the body of water at a contact point, wherein each foot portion has an extension downward in the longitudinal direction (L), 
 which method comprises the steps of 
 determining the depth of the body of water at the contact point to make contact with the floor of the body of water, 
 determining the desired height of the rotor hub above the surface of the body of water, wherein the height is predetermined by the height of a rotor hub of the at least one other wind energy system present in the wind energy park, so that the rotor hub of the wind energy system is positioned at the same height above the surface of the body of water as the at least one other wind energy system, irrespective whether the wind energy systems are positioned at the same or different depths in the body of water, 
 determining the distance the each foot portion is to be extended downward in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to compensate for any interval distance between the bottom of the leg and the floor of the body of water at the contact point where each foot portion is positioned, and 
 mounting each foot portion onto the carrier structure at each determined extension in the longitudinal direction (L). 
 
   
   
     10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the offshore wind energy system further comprises a hollow chamber arranged in the foot portion, and wherein the method further comprises the step of filling the hollow chamber with filler. 
   
   
     11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the offshore wind energy system has a plurality of foot portions adapted for making contact with the floor of the body of water, wherein at least one foot portion comprises a suction bell with which the at least one foot portion can be placed onto the floor of the body of water, which method further comprises the steps of
 positioning the suction bell on the floor of the body of water so that it forms a substantially airtight seal against the floor of the body of water, 
 emptying the suction bell of substantially all air, and 
 closing the suction bell in a substantially airtight manner.